The present invention relates to a new and improved air powered vehicle and an air powered engine for such a vehicle, and more particularly to an air powered engine primarily driven by valve timed blasts of air delivered to the cylinders of a conventional internal combustion engine having modified cam shafts and timing mechanism to control the intake and exhaust valves in relation to the rotation of the crankshaft of the engine.
Air powered vehicles have been proposed in the past. Ever since the proliferation of internal combustion engines powered by fossil fuels, pollution has been a concern. One solution to the, pollution problem is an air powered vehicle. Such air powered vehicles have been deficient in the supply of compressed air. One such vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,058 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,152. Such air powered vehicles have as a prime deficiency an adequate supply of compressed air.
The air powered vehicle and power plant of the invention optimizes the use of compressed air by maintaining cylinders of an internal combustion engine in vacuum and utilizing minimal compressed air to drive the engine.
Another deficiency of such vehicles is that the vehicle""s electrical system is not generally sufficient to drive air compressors of the size required, and thus, auxiliary power is necessary. It is therefore highly desirable to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and an air powered engine therefore. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and an air powered engine therefore which operates on differential air pressure which can be sustained by the vehicle""s electrical system. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and air powered engine therefore which has an adequate supply of compressed air. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and air powered engine therefore which operates on a differential air pressure which includes the use of air at super atmospheric pressure for injection into the cylinders of an engine which are maintained as sub atmospheric pressure.
Other air powered vehicles have been proposed which include compressed air storage tanks and exhaust and supply tanks which are extremely large and take up appreciable room in the vehicle. Such tanks may reduce the passenger carrying or cargo carrying capability of the vehicle. It is therefore highly desirable to provide a new and improved air operated vehicle in which the air storage and supply tanks do not appreciably decrease the passenger carrying or cargo carrying capability of the vehicle. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle in which the air storage and supply tanks are part of the structural chassis of the vehicle.
In prior air powered vehicles, conventional 12 volt electrical systems including the starter motor, alternator voltage regulator and battery are overloaded by the operation of air compressors requiring auxiliary power to be regularly supplied to the system. It has always been the desire to reduce the need of compressed air and to provide an air powered vehicle and power plant therefore which can utilize a relatively conventional 12 volt electrical system and operate thereon much in the same way as do conventional fossil fueled engines and vehicles. It is therefore highly desirable to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and a power plant therefore which can utilize a conventional 12 volt electrical system including a starter motor, a combined alternator and voltage regulator and a heavy duty truck battery. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and a power plant therefore which do not require air compressors.
Prior art compressed air powered engines have proposed sophisticated valving to accomplish timed blasts of air into each cylinder of the engine. Inasmuch as this timing system is an integral part of the operation of any engine, many times it is complex, comprises many small operative parts and being relatively expensive and costly unless manufactured in volume. Thus, it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved valving system for an air powered vehicle and power plant therefore which utilizes for the most part conventional parts. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved valving system for an air powered vehicle and power plant therefore which includes a modified cam shaft, lower timing gear, upper timing gear and a timing chain and valves to deliver a timed blast of air to each cylinder of the engine.
Finally it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and a power plant therefore having all of the above features.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and an air powered engine therefore.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and an air powered engine therefore which operates on differential air pressure which can be sustained by the vehicle""s electrical system.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and an air powered engine therefore which has an adequate supply of compressed air.
It is also an objection of the invention to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and air powered engine therefore which operates on a differential air pressure which includes the use of air at super atmospheric pressure for injection into the cylinders of an engine which are maintained as sub atmospheric pressure.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved air operated vehicle in which the air storage and supply tanks do not appreciably decrease the passenger carrying or cargo carrying capability of the vehicle.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle in which the air storage and supply tanks are part of the structural chassis of the vehicle.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and a power plant therefore which can utilize a conventional 12 volt electrical system including a starter motor, a combined alternator and voltage regulator and a heavy duty truck battery.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and a power plant therefore which do not require air compressors.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved valving system for an air powered vehicle and power plant therefore which utilizes for the most part conventional parts.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved valving system for an air powered vehicle and power plant therefore which includes a modified cam shaft, lower timing gear, upper timing gear and a timing chain and valves to deliver a timed blast of air to each cylinder of the engine.
It is finally an object of the invention to provide a new and improved air powered vehicle and a power plant therefore having all of the above features.
In the broader aspects there is provided a new and improved air powered vehicle and power plant therefore which include an engine having an engine block and at least one cylinder therein. A piston is mounted for reciprocation within the cylinder and the cylinder is provided with an air inlet valve, and exhaust valve and an intake valve. The piston within the cylinder is connected to a crank shaft. The valves are also operatively connected to the crank shaft where upon the valves are opened and closed in sequence as the crank shaft rotates whereby time blasts of air may be introduced into the cylinder through said air intake valve and air may be exhausted through the exhaust valve to rotate the crank shaft.